Edo Cat Cafe closure postponed as 50 cats still need foster parents

Back in June, the Edo Neko Chaya opened in Tokyo, but unlike many other western-style cat cafes in the capital, this one was styled on a traditional chaya, or teahouse, with gorgeous interiors inspired by ukiyo-e woodblock prints.

Cats of the Edo Neko Chaya could be seen enjoying multiple areas representing aspects of daily life in the Edo Period, such as the Neko Nagaya (Cat Tenement Building), Neko Yukaku (Cat Pleasure Quarter), Neko Furo (Cat Public Bath), and Neko Jinja (Cat Shrine), with the only downside being that the cafe would be open for a limited time, from June 15 to Aug 31.

However, the magical ukiyo-e world proved to be so popular that the closure was postponed until Jan 27, 2019, with Edo Neko Chaya hoping that all 50 of their current feline residents will be able to find forever homes during this period.

So far, nine of their rescue cats have been adopted, but in order to help spread the word about the remaining 50 in need of foster parents, Edo Neko Chaya is offering a 100-yen entry discount for people who tweet out a message about their plight with the hashtag #江戸ねこ茶屋里親募集中 (Edo Neko Chaya is currently looking for foster parents).

▼ Ame and Abu are just some of the felines currently waiting for forever homes.

A full list of cats available can be viewed on their Facebook page, and the team behind the cafe are asking for people to share the photos posted there in the hope that all their cats will soon be able to find foster parents.

Entry to the Edo Neko Chaya costs 1,500 yen for adults and 1,200 yen for junior and senior high school students, which covers a 60-minute visit, although 20-minute extensions are available for 500 yen.

The entry fee goes towards covering the cost of hiring staff and caring for cats at their current location, with a portion of proceeds donated to welfare groups working to protect cats. Visitors can also purchase a variety of original goods at the cafe, with proceeds going towards feline welfare programs.

Regardless of whether or not you’re planning to visit the cafe, everyone can do their bit to help by spreading word about the foster parent program at Edo Neko Chaya. It’s only open until 27 January, so we seriously hope that all these rescue cats will be able to find their forever homes soon!